Notarized Translation of an English-Language Document – How Do You Get One?
A notarized translation, as the term implies, is a translation approved by a notary public. A notary is an experienced lawyer who is registered in the notary register, has accumulated at least ten years of rich experience in the profession, and has been authorized by the Ministry of Justice to approve official bureaucratic documents. Often, the general public are required to present notarized translations to official legal bodies or various bureaucratic authorities, such as the Ministry of Interior, the Income Tax Authority, pension fund bodies, academic bodies, and more.
English is unquestionably the international language of our time. Forty-five leading countries around the world attest to the popularity of the English language and present impressive data in which more than half of the population is defined as “English-speaking,” including, of course, our State of Israel. In Israel, the English language is taught in schools and academia, and there are undoubtedly many Israeli citizens who speak English. But despite the popularity of the language in Israel, there are still many Israeli public authorities that require notarized translation from English into the holy language, Hebrew.
What Are the Reasons That the Authorities Require Notarized Translation?
- Identity authentication – A notarized translation from English or another foreign language is required when an official body wishes to authenticate the identity of a person who requires translation by a notary public. That is, in order to authenticate the person’s identity, their signature is not enough – they must also present additional identification documents, such as an identity card, a passport, and the like.
- Reliability of a document – It is the duty of the notary public to authenticate official documents and verify the originality and reliability of the document in light of all the data that it contains, and only then add their signature confirming the document.
- Legal validity – A notary public has the authority to approve and grant legal validity to documents.
- Correctness of a translation – A notary public’s signature and “notarized translator statement” confirm that the translation is correct and follows all the necessary procedures and rules.
What Is the Difference Between a Notarized Translation Certificate and a Translator Statement?
A notarized translation certificate constitutes a direct confirmation by the notary that the translation of the official document is reliable, accurate, and correct. By granting approval, the notary public faithfully represents both his clients and the law enforcement authorities, and acts as a legal medium between the two.
However, there are cases where the notary public does not speak the language in which the original document was written. In these cases, it is possible to issue a notarized translator statement, which, as its name implies, is a statement by the translator himself confirming the correctness of the translation. Nonetheless, notarized translator statements are not accepted by the Israeli Ministry of Interior – therefore it is necessary to check in advance where the translation should be submitted and what the exact translation requirements are.
Notarized Translation of English-Language Documents – What Are the Market Prices?
We hereby present you with the market price range so that you can estimate the price for your document. As you know, notarized translation prices vary from year to year and are determined by the Minister of Justice, not by the notary public. The prices are published once a year on the website of the Ministry of Justice, as part of the Notary Regulations (Service Fees), 1978..
As of 2020, the costs of notarized translation of documents from English and other languages (before VAT) stipulated by law are as follows:
- Translation of up to the first 100 words costs NIS 211.
- For every additional 100 words, up to 1,000 words, there is an additional cost of NIS 167.
- Additional words exceeding 1,000 words will cost you NIS 80.
- Any additional notarial certificate will cost you about NIS 66.
Why Are Notarized Translation Prices Determined by the Minister of Justice and Not by the Notaries Public Themselves?
In the Israeli free market, the sale and purchase of products and services are ostensibly carried out voluntarily and freely agreed between two parties, while market prices are actually determined through a mechanism of supply and demand. And as the capitalists say – “the sky’s the limit.”
However, in light of the requirements by authorities and public bodies to present translations of official documents, the legislature decided to regulate the field of notarized translation as a public service that every Israeli citizen deserves – the regulation is intended to create a mechanism of checks and balances, and fair and affordable market prices, in order to prevent the free market from reaching astronomical market prices in the field of notarized translation.
As we have demonstrated above, any person may be required to present a notarized translation from English or any other language in their personal and professional life. It is therefore important, on the one hand, to make notarized translation services accessible to every person and not only to people with means; and, on the other hand, to set a price that is also worthwhile to the notary public.
Are an Apostille Stamp and a Notarized Translation Certificate the Same Thing?
No – these are two different certificates, which are required for authenticating both the document and its translation. It is therefore very important to take into account and include in the calculation both the cost of a notarized translation certificate and the cost of an apostille stamp certificate. An apostille stamp is a stamp that confirms the originality and reliability of the document and its issuance by an official body, as opposed to a notarized translation certificate, whose purpose is to confirm the accuracy and correctness of the translation.
Our law firm has accumulated many years of experience and we thoroughly know the field of notarized translation. Our professional staff will be happy to help you get an apostille stamp and provide you with a notarized translation certificate for documents that were translated from English or other languages.
Notarized Translation of English-Language Documents – “Overtime” Prices
As mentioned above, the prices of notarized translation, a certificate confirming the translation, and an apostille stamp are fixed by law and updated annually. However, at the same time, there are additional handling costs that vary from office to office, such as costs of issuing documents, payment for work hours, and additional fees. As clients of our firm, you are entitled to know all about the additional costs. Our offices will provide you with the full required service. If the office staff assists you and even physically takes your place and represents you before the various bureaucratic authorities, this involves investing a lot of time, waiting in line, and multiple trips – all of which is customarily translated in the notary field as “overtime.”
Is Notarized Translation of English-Language Documents Actually Performed by a Notary Public?
The notary public is required to issue a notarized translation certificate that confirms the correctness and originality of the translated document, de facto. However, the law refrains from requiring the notary public themselves to perform the translation. That is, the notary public is obligated to go through each document and verify its correctness, but they are not required to translate the documents personally.
Is It Possible to Reduce the Costs of Notarized Translation from English?
Since notarized translation prices are uniform public prices for all citizens and are determined annually according to the regulations of the Ministry of Justice, it is not possible to reduce the translation prices set by law. However, it is certainly possible to check the additional costs, and to check with the authorities whether all the documents require notarized translation or only some of them, and whether an apostille stamp is required or whether a notarized translation certificate is sufficient.
As you see, you can check the fine print of the required bureaucracy with the authorities, and you may also find an attractive low price for notarial translation of English-language documents. But sometimes, for your peace of mind and to prevent the burden of bureaucratic procrastination, it is better to ask a firm that specializes in this type of service to provide you with the full service and represent you before the authorities – the service may cost you a little more, but you will certainly save yourself headaches, stress, procrastination, and lots of time.
Notarized Translation of Documents from English and Other Languages: Our Law Firm
If you are looking for excellent high-quality professional notarized translation services for English-language documents at a good price by service providers with high integrity, all under one roof – there is no shadow of a doubt that you have come to the right place. Our team of experts will be happy to provide you with a comprehensive service from beginning to end, including notarized translation and collection of all the required bureaucratic documents and certificates, as well as submission of all translated documents, signed and approved by our best lawyers.
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